Coal plane with adjustable floor cutters



Dec. 13, 1966 A. HAUSCHOPP 3,291,531

COAL PLANE WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOOR GUTTERS y Alog/ HauSChoPP uwwwj@ 05M Dec. 13, 1966 A. HAUscHoPP 3,291,531

COAL PLANE WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOOR CUTTERS Filed Jan. 29, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 23 /NvE/vron Alois Hauschopp Bv' Y United States Patent C) 3,291,531 CAL PLANE WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOOR CUTTERS Alois Hauschopp, Werne, Lippe, Germany, assignor to Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westphalia, Werthmar, Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Jan. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 341,002 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 2, 1963, G 36,971 Claims. (Cl. 299-34) Coal planes of the prior art have a carriage borne on guiding means, and main cutter holders mounted on the carriage so that they are displaceable in relation to the carriage, permitting the leading ends of the cutter h-olders to be displaced or pivoted toward the Working face. So-called leading and/ or oor cutters are disposed on the carriage, their purpose being to provide for a clean leading cut at and in the vicinity of the oor. Often such leading cutters are also intended to create a scoring cut in the coal face so as to undercut the coal. Such leading cutters have already been constructed as pivoting cutters. Designs have become known in which a floor cutter can pivot about -a horizontal axis perpendicular to the working face, adjusting means serving to secure the selected angular setting. It is furthermore in the prior art to dispose a whole series of such leading and/ or floor cutters on a ap-like holder and to fasten this holder in a hingelike manner so as to be pivotingly adjustable about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the working face. All these known designs have the common disadvantage that they remain in the position in which they have been set, regardless of the direction of movement, i.e., regardless of whether or not they have any work to do. If naught but a horizontalV axis perpendicular to the working face is provided, then all that can be adjusted is the cutting angle in relation to the floor and, in some cases, the length of a leading cutter. If the axis is one disposed parallel to the Workingface and horizontally, the only possible adjustment is an elevation or depression in relation to the carriage, so that the cutters cut either deeper into the door or less deeply into the floor. At the same time, in that case, the depth of the cut into the working face changes.

It is furthermore prior art, in the case of main cutter holders pivotable about an axis, to tilt this axis towards the coal face, so that, in its pivoting motion, the cutter holder not only brings the cutters closer to or further away from the coal face, but also performs a vertically superimposed movement in such a manner that the cutters pivot sometimes at a greater angle and sometimes at a lesser angle to the door in their working position.

Due to the ever more severe requirements being made of modern coal planes, however, the measures taken in the prior art do not suffice to keep the coal plane always down on the oor even in the case of hard coal. The weight of the coal planes being used has become less. A keel passing under the conveyor uses up additional energy and is no longer used in some cases. The weight of the conveyor alone is not capable of holding the plane against the floor under unfavorable conditions. The adjustment of the main cutter holder does not always bring the desired success, particularly when the oor cutters tilted towards the iloor lose their full sharpness.

It is the aim of the invention, therefore, to find a means for holding the coal plane securely against the floor and provide for a clean cutting of the coal all the way down to the floor, and this means is also to serve for doing the Work of the leading and/ or floor cutters of the prior art.

The invention solves this problem in that the flap-like cutter holders (along with their hinge leaves, if desired) form parts of the ramp-shaped guiding surfaces -for trans- ICC porting the loosened coal out of the passage between coal face and conveyor into the conveyor. To this end, the hinge shafts of the two flaps (cutter holders), which are disposed parallel to the coal face, are so arranged in the vertical that they converge from the oor towards the roof. Advantageously, the said hinge shafts are disposed at an angle of 45 to the floor. The angle, h-owever, could also be smaller or larger. At the same time, each of the cutter holders pivoting about their slanting shafts, is to lie loosely against a pusher or push rod extending displaceably from the carriage, the pusher, in turn, lying against a rotatable eccentric disc on the interior of the carriage.

According to another feature of the invention, the eccentric is rotatable through an adjusting shaft that is accessible for adjustment from the delivery side of the carriage. This shaft is mounted through a thickened portion within the carriage, and this thickened portion serves to bear the forces exerted on the eccentric. These adjusting shafts can terminate in square ends to iit wrenches, for example, in a recess on the delivery side of the carriage, and they can be secured against ratation by a displaceable bracket in such a manner that only one of the two square ends can be adjusted at a time after shifting the bracket.

According to another feature of the invention, the tilting leading and/ or iloor cutter is mounted by means of intermeshing hinge parts extending from the carriage and from the pivoting cutter holder and interlocking with one another and being held together by the hinge pin, and the cutter holder is disposed in such a manner that a `downwardly expanding space is formed between the bottom of the cutter holder and the plane carriage, the surface of contact between the cutter holder and the pusher being located in the upper portion of the cutter holder.

According to another feature of the invention, the cutter holder is so disposed and designed that it simultaneously serves as a contoured guiding surface for loading the coal onto the conveyor.

Due to the slanting position of the cutter holder equipped with cutters, and more particularly the slanting position of the cutters, the resistance to cutting produces a component of -force which is directed against the direction 0f movement and against the door. In this manner, the plane is held constantly against the floor. In the procedure of adjustment by means of the pusher, the cutter holder is lifted upward and forward in the one direction, or is let downward and rearward in the other. The higher the cutter holder is raised, the less the angle of attack of the cutters, and the lower it is dropped, the greater the angle of attack of the cutters. The entire set of cutters rises and falls simultaneously. Whereas in the pivoting leading cutters of the prior art, the angle of attack remained always constant, it is now possible through the invention to adjsut the angle of attack as well, and this is decisively important to the operation of the plane. If the plane reverses direction, the cutter holder is automatically swung back to the disengaged position by the unevenness lof the coal face, so that the lcutters no longer contact the coal face, or at least are no longer able to exert any force against the coal face.

A coal plane represented in the drawing is an embodiment of the invention; the plane is carried on a doublechain conveyor, which is not shown, and it has a keel which passes beneath the conveyor. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the plane from the working lface side;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding plan view;

FIG. 3 is a vertical partial section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

arrow 4 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical partial section of the adjustable stop at 5 in FIG. 1.

The keel plate 10, which passes beneath the conveyor (not shown) lying in front of the Working face, has two end parts 11 and 11', which are linked to the central part by the horizontal articulations 12 and 12'. The end parts 11 and 11 have supporting pieces 13 and 13 on their side facing the coal face, by means of which the plane bears against the coal face. On the far side of the end parts 11 and 11' are disposed guide blocks 14 and 14' which enter into a downwardly open guiding track in the conveyor. These blacks 14 and 14' are engaged also by the plane chain 15 which moves the plane cuttingly along the working face in alternating directions.

The cutting loose of the coal is performed by knife-like cutting tools. One set of main cutters 16 and 16' is provided for each direction of movement of the plane, these main cutters tearing out the coal at about half the height of the seam. The coal located above them usually then falls down of its own weight. Any portions of the coal left hanging are torn down, if desired, by a knife 17 pointing upward, which attacks the coal from beneath. The main cutters 16 and 16' are disposed on a turret-like structure which protrudes laterally of the conveyor from the middle portion of the keel 10. This structure can extend to varying heights according to the thickness of the seam. The turret 1S may be rigidly mounted, but it may also be pivoted `about a vertical axis in such a manner that only the one set of main cutters 16 and 16 points in the direction of movement across the coal face, while the second set 16' or 16, as the case may be, is disengaged from the coal.

The coal up to about the height of the conveyor (not shown) is cut out by the cutters 19 and 19', which are set ahead of the main cutters 16 and 16', respectively. The cutters 19 and 19' are removably inserted into cutter holders 20 and 20', respectively, which in turn are pivoted on the plane body 10 about the hinge pins 21 and 21', respectively. An important feature of the invention consists in the fact that the hinge pins 21 and 21' lie parallel to the coal face, but that at the same time they assume a slanting position of about 45 to the floor. In FIG. 1 of the drawing, the tilt of the hinge pins 21 and 21' is clearly apparent, and their parallel position in relation to the coal face is apparent in FIG. 2. It remains to be mentioned that each of the bottom-most cutters 19 and 19' is designed as a floor cutter, that is, a cutter which has cutting edges in two planes, one perpendicular to the other. The one cutting plane lies parallel to the floor of the mine. It serves to cut the coal clean to the oor. The second cutting plane perpendicular to the first lies parallel to the coal face. With this cutting edge, therefore, the floor cutter releases a more or less Wide strip from the bottom portion of the coal seam. In the embodiment illustrated, two more cutters can be seen disposed at different heights on cutter holders 20 and 20', their cutting edges being also parallel to the coal face, as it can be seen especially in FIG. 2.

The cutter holders 20 and 20' form, at the described inclination of the hinge pins 20 and 21, ramp-like coal guiding surfaces. The .loosened coal lying in front of the working face slides up onto these surfaces as the plane moves in the one or the other direction, until it has reached the upper edge of the lateral member of the conveyor frame, and then it moves sidewards on the slanting lianks 18' and 18" in such a manner that it is guided to the conveyor.

It can be assumed that the cutter holders 20 and 20', in their starting position, areV directed perpenedicularly to the coal face, in which case their bottom and top edges assume a practically horizontal position. The cutters fastened to the cutter holders 20 and 20' are then supposed to assume such a position that the floor cutter travels with its bottom side along the floor and, with its second cutting edge, bites into the coal face to a certain depth, just like the two cutters arranged above it. When one of the cutter holders 20 or 20' is swung upward out of this position around the pivot pins 21 or 21', respectively, the flat-lying edge of the floor cutter is accordingly raised. The other stacked cutting edges are slightly withdrawn from the coal face. Things are different, however, when the cutter holders 20 and 20' are lowered. Then the fiat-lying edge of the floor cutter is pressed more intensely against the oor or it even penetrates into the oor, while the other cutting edges in the stack are simultaneously moved deeper into the coal face.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, a saparate punch rod 22 and 22' is provided for each of the cutter holders 20 and 20', respectively, these push rods contacting the cutter holders 20 and 20', respectively, on a surface 23-23' which is approximately perpendicular in the initial position. These push rods are adjustable by eccentrics 24 and 24 which are disposed in the lower portion of the plane structure 18. The eccentrics are disposed on the down-turned extremities of vrotatable shafts 25, which have `a square at their exerernity 26. The extremities 26-26' of the two shafts 25-25 are located above the -conveyor on the rear side of the plane superstructure 18, and therefore they are conveniently accessible from the far side of the convey-or. By means of a wrench or the like, the eccentrics 24 and 24 can conveniently be turned to adjust the push rods 22 and 22', respectively. In this manner, the position to which the cutter holder 20 and 20' can swing downward, can be precisely set.

When the coal plane is moved along the coal face in one direction, the cutter holder that is leading in the direction of movement of the plane digs under the loose coal. This forces the cutter holder 20 or 20' into its lowermost position as set by the adjustment of the push rod 22 corresponding thereto. The second cutter holder, which faces rearward in the movement of the plane, is automatically swung away by the resistance which it encounters on the floor and on the coal face during the movement of the plane, in such a manner that it slides along the seam looselyA and without appreciable friction pressure.

In order to secure the desired setting of the square drives 26 and 26', a special slide 27 is provided according to the invention, which can be pushed to one or the other side as desired after the loosening of screw 28, thereby releasing one of the square drives 26 and 26' in each case. After the setting of the eccentric 24-24 has completed, the slide 27 is brought back into its ymiddle position shown in FIG. 4, in which the two square drives 26 and 26 are clearly secured, so that there need be no fear of their getting out of adjustment.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mining plane having a body portion and means for moving the body portion in a direction across the face of the deposit being worked adjacent the mine floor, a cutter holder mounted on said body portion for movement therewith, a cutter mounted on said cutter holder and disposed for cutting material from the deposit at about the level of the mine iioor as the cutter holder is moved as aforesaid across the face of the deposit with said body portion, the improvement which comprises the cutter holder being shaped to provide a ramp surface for collection of material loosened from the deposit by the cutter and guiding it upwardly away from the mine floor, said ramp surface being inclined upwardly from adjacent the leading end of the cutter holder toward the trailing end thereof and being disposed between the cutter and said body portion, said cutter holder being hingedly mounted on said body portion, and the mining plane including means for selectively positioning the cutter holder with respect to the body portion utilizing said hinged connection thereof to the body portion, the pivot axis of said hinged connection being disposed substantially parallel to the face of the deposit and being inclined in the direction in which said ramp surface is inclined.

2. Mining plane according t-o claim 1, the inclination of the pivot axis being about 45 to the mine iloor.

3. Mining machine according to claim 1, said means for selectively positioning the cutter holder comprising an -adjustable stop mounted on the body portion and disposed for abutting with the -cutter between the hinge pivot `axes and the face of the deposit for holding the cutter holder to maintain the cutter in engagement with the deposit as the body portion and cutter holder are .moved acr-oss the face of the deposit, the cutter being free to turn about said hinge connection in a direction opposite to that corresponding to abutting of the cutter holder and the stop, whereby upon movement back across the deposit surface the holder is not held in engagement with the face of the deposit.

4. In a mining plane having a body portion and means for moving the body portion in a direction across the face of the deposit being worked adjacent the mine door, a cutter holder mounted on -sai-d body portion for move- Iment therewith, a cutter mounted on said cutter holder and disposed for cutting material from the deposit at about the level of the mine floor as the cutter holder is moved las aforesaid -across the face of the deposit with said body portion, the improvement which comprises the cutter holder being shaped to provide a ramp surface for collection of material loosened from the deposit by the cutter and guiding it upwardly away from the mine floor, said ramp surface being inclined upwardly from adjacent the leading end of the cutter holder toward the trailing end thereof and being disposed between the cutter and said body portion, said cutter holder being hingedly mounted on said body portion, and the mining plane including means for selectively positioning the cutter holder with respect to the body portion utilizing said hinged connection thereof to the body portion, said means for selectively positioning the cutter holder comprising an adjustable stop mounted on the body portion and disposed for abutting with the -cutter between the hinge pivot taxes and the face of the deposit f-or holding the cutter holder to maintain the cutter in engagement with the deposit as the body portion and cutter holder are moved across the face of the deposit, the cutter being free to turn about said hinge connection in a direction opposite to that corresponding to labutting of the cutter holder and the stop, whereby upon movement back across the deposit face the holder is not held in engagement with the face of the deposit.

S. Mining lmachine according to claim 4, and including an eccentric for selective adjustment of the position -of said stop, said eccentric being ixedly secured to a shaft which extends from the eccentric away from the face of the deposit providing the shaft accessible for adjustment lof the eccentric with the plane in place before the face of the deposit.

6. Mining plane according to claim 5, said shaft having Ian axially extending section of relatively small diameter and an axially extending section of relatively large diameter, the section of relatively large diameter being -received in close tting relation in a corresponding recess in the body portion, whereby forces imposed on the eccentric from the adjustable stop are taken up by the body portion.

7. Mining machine according to claim v6, and including means for locking said shaft in a selected position.

8. Mining machine according t-o claim 4, said inclined surface being the upper :side of the cutter holder, the underside of the cutter holder being generally parallel to the upper side thereof, whereby a downwardly expanding space is formed behind the cutter holder, the said adjustable stop being disposed to abut with the upper portion of the cutter holder.

9. In a mining plane comprising a body portion having a main cutter holder mounted thereon, main cutters mounted on said main cutter holder, an auxiliary cutter holder disposed on each side and below the main cutter holder, auxiliary cutters mounted on each of the auxiliary cutter holders with the cutters disposed outwardly for engagement with the face of the deposit worked, said auxiliary cutters being hinged to said body portion, and means for selectively positioning each auxiliary cutter holder with respect to the Ibody portion utilizing said hinged connection thereof to the body portion, the improvement which comprises the pivot axis of each of said hinged connections being disposed substantially parallel to the face of the deposit worked, and inclined upwardly from the leading end of its cutter holder toward the trailing end thereof.

10. A mining plane according to claim 9, said inclination being about 45.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,699,930 1/1955 Lobbe 299--34 2,745,651 6/ 1956 Herrmann 299-34 FOREIGN PATENTS 517,283 2/ 1953 Belgium. 1,238,602 7/ 1960 France.

ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MINING PLANE HAVING A BODY PORTION AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE BODY PORTION IN A DIRECTION ACROSS THE FACE OF THE DEPOSIT BEING WORKED ADJACENT THE MINE FLOOR, A CUTTER HOLDER MOUNTED ON SAID BODY PORTION FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, A CUTTER MOUNTED ON SAID CUTTER HOLDER AND DISPOSED FOR CUTTING MATERIAL FROM THE DEPOSIT AT ABOUT THE LEVEL OF THE MINE FLOOR AS THE CUTTER HOLDER IS MOVED AS AFORESAID ACROSS THE FACE OF THE DEPOSIT WITH SAID BODY PORTION, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES THE CUTTER HOLDER BEING SHAPED TO PROVIDE A RAMP SURFACE FOR COLLECTION OF MATERIAL LOOSENED FROM THE DEPOSIT BY THE CUTTER AND GUIDING IT UPWARDLY AWAY FROM THE MINE FLOOR, SAID RAMP SURFACE BEING INCLINED UPWARDLY FROM ADJACENT THE LEADING END OF THE CUTTER HOLDER TOWARD THE TRAILING END THEREOF AND BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE CUTTER AND SAID BODY PORTION, SAID CUTTER HOLDER BEING HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID BODY PORTION, AND THE MINING PLANE INCLUDING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY POSITIONING THE CUTTER HOLDER WITH RESPECT TO THE BODY PORTION UTILIZING SAID HINGED CONNECTION THEREOF TO THE BODY PORTION, THE PIVOT AXIS OF SAID HINGED CONNECTION BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE FACE OF THE DEPOSIT AND BEING INCLINED IN THE DIRECTION IN WHICH SAID RAMP SURFACE IS INCLINED. 